


Annie's Telescope

by matches2point0



Category: Community
Genre: Community - Freeform, F/M, Greendale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-22
Updated: 2013-06-22
Packaged: 2017-12-15 19:26:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/853177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matches2point0/pseuds/matches2point0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Troy is too sick with a cold to join Abed in the Dreamatorium, so he takes  the crushing Annie with him instead. They go on an adventure to defeat Chang who is trying to take over the universe, all the while Annie can't take her eyes or mind off of Abed, wondering if he feels the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Annie's Telescope

"Come on Troy, wake up," said Abed staring over Troy's bunk. "The dreamatorium waits for no one and a day off like today is the perfect time to use it." Troy slowly opened his dark eyes. Abed was momentarily taken aback to see they were very bloodshot.

"You're right, Abed," said Troy sleepily. He rolled over and tried to stand, but his head hit the pillow almost immediately. "Just give me a sec."

"Actually no," said Abed as he pulled the covers back over Troy's limp body. "You're sick and I can't risk the dreamatorium being damaged in any way."

"How can the dreamatorium be damaged by a cold?" cried Troy, though his voice was muffled by the pillow. "Isn't there an episode in Inspector Space Time when Reggie gets sick anyway?"

"This is real sick Troy. I don't want you to outdo yourself which is what could damage the dreamatorium," explained Abed in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm taking Annie." 

"But then I miss out on Inspector Space Time!" said Troy, rolling over to face Abed again. 

"Don't worry," said Abed as he walked towards the makeshift wall of blankets. "We'll go on a different adventure." Troy nodded sleepily. 

"Have fun then," he murmured before his eyelids dropped once more and he was fast asleep. 

"Knock knock!" said Abed, already opening the door to Annie's room. He was greeted by bright pink walls and a fresh breeze from the open window on the other side of the room. Annie was sitting in front of her mirror brushing her hair carefully, still in her pyjamas. She turned around abruptly when she heard Abed, tossing the open notebook in front of her under her bed. Abed raised an eyebrow. 

"Oops?" Annie said innocently, looking in the direction of the journal. "What's up?"

"Did you have plans for today?" he asked her. 

"Not really but-"

"Good," Abed interrupted. "You're coming to the dreamatorium with me."

Annie got herself dressed while Abed waited outside, trying to come up with a situation to be in the dreamatorium. Inspector Space Time was his favourite, and his best, but that was out of the question because he had promised Troy. He would improvise. 

They were now in the room known as the dreamatorium. It was really a regular bedroom with a funny paint job to anyone else, but to Troy and Abed, even Annie too when she joined in, it was magical. With the green walls and orange stripes they could be anywhere in the world, even beyond, as long as they could imagine it. 

"What do you have in mind for today?" asked Annie as she inched her way closer to Abed's side. She had lived with Troy and Abed for a while now and couldn't help but feel a spark between her and the latter. Most people saw Abed simply as strange. He seemed to be in his own world most of the time and anything could set him off to do wonderful-or disastrous-things. Troy had been the first who began to understand how Abed worked, and Annie soon followed. Abed was no longer a robotic figure, he wasn't even a simple person to Annie. He had become something far more special. She was in love. 

"Something different," said Abed absently. 

"Well who are we being?" asked Annie, hoping for a clearer answer this time. 

"Us," Abed replied simply, looking down at Annie. 

"Sorry?"

"Annie and Abed. I'm me and you're you. On an adventure," Abed explained. Annie couldn't help but let a little squeal of joy escape her. This was something she had been hoping for, but would never suggest. Abed was more sensitive in the dreamatorium. But now, without any suggestion at all, this was going to happen. 

And so the adventure began. 

"Where are we?" asked Annie, looking around the checkered room. 

"The jungle. We're on a mission to find something precious, very precious," explained Abed. As he spoke Annie could see the jungle forming around her. She could almost feel the heat and humidity. Suddenly a hand slipped into her's. She saw Abed still staring ahead at the trees, but now he was holding her hand. 

"Abed," said Annie, not really sure where her sentence was going. Suddenly Abed spoke.

"Run."

Together they ran through the forest, Abed still holding Annie's hand. 

"Why are we running?" cried Annie as she leapt over the roots in front of her. 

"We're not the only ones after the treasure!" answered Abed. Annie turned around and sure enough she could see two men running closely behind them, one with a switchblade in his hand. Annie looked forward again quickly, now running even faster. 

They kept running. Breath was running short but adrenaline kept them going. Neither were entirely sure which direction they were running in, but Abed was confident. Besides, they issue at the moment was the chasers. They men pursuing Annie and Abed were now further behind thanks to Annie's sprint, but suddenly she and Abed had to come skidding to a halt. 

"How do we get across it?" asked Annie as she stared at the sparkling rapids in front of them. 

"I'd say jump," contemplated Abed. The river wasn't too wide for a jump with a running start, but it was deep and the water was quick. That wasn't Abed's concern though. 

"But?" asked Annie anxiously looking over her shoulder for the other men. 

"Under the water is the best way to get the treasure," said Abed, and suddenly the jungle was gone. 

Annie opened her eyes. The green trees were gone. There were no more birds chirping or leaves swishing around above them. It was all blue. Annie looked up, paddling cautiously. Above her she could see the rapids going through the sunlight, but where she was the water was calm. A sudden force came from behind her. Annie gasped, only to realize it was Abed who had launched himself into a hug from behind her. Annie blushed. Under the blue water her cheeks became a light tint of purple. Abed swam in front of her. 

"You're not cold are you?" he asked, noticing her violet cheeks. 

"No, no!" she answered quickly, turning to the side. "Why can I breathe?" Annie asked with sudden realization. The question conveniently distracted Abed who found everything to be quite logical.

"This isn't any ordinary stream, Annie. It's a dreamatorium stream. Besides, it would be pretty hard to find the treasure if we couldn't breathe!"

"What is the treasure anyway?" asked Annie as Abed began to swim a bit further. 

"You'll know when you see it!" he called. Frustrated, but incredibly eager to be with Abed, Annie swam after him. 

They stopped when they came to a sort of dark grotto. In the middle was a small wooden box. The box was quite little. It fit on Annie's hands if she lay both her palms out flat. The wood was worn and the latch was rusted. What made the box special, however was that through the cracks in the wood, it was glowing. Abed paddled himself towards it carefully. He observed it, but left it where it was. 

"Is that the treasure?" asked Annie, watching Abed from the distance. 

"Of course it is," he answered without looking at her. 

"Then why aren't we taking it?" asked Annie, she swam a little closer to it. 

"Every movie that has something like this also has a trap. Indiana Jones had to find something of the same weight to take the idol, for example. I'm trying to see what kind of trap there is here." Abed explained, tracing cracks in the cave with his fingers. 

"Find anything yet?" Annie asked after a couple of minutes of silence. 

"It appears to be safe," admitted Abed, taking one last look around. Abed swam down to the glowing box. He touched it carefully to make sure it wasn't hot. Finally, he took it in his hands and swam up to Annie. He held the box in front of him. "It's for you," he said. 

Annie touched the box that was still in Abed's hands. The moment her fingers came in contact with the deilicate wood the lid snapped open, catching Annie by surprise. She looked down in the box and saw the cause of the glowing. All it looked like was a golden tube of sorts, but after looking at it more carefully Annie could see the it was a compacted telescope.

"Can I touch it?" asked Annie, looking up at Abed. 

"It's yours," he said. "Do what you want with it." Annie looked down again at the telescope and picked it up. The metal was warm, like it had been in someone's pocket. Suddenly the cave around them rumbled, and it was black. 

Annie awoke abruptly. There was a sort of splintery wood beneath her and she could smell salt in the air. They were not in the river anymore, but they were still near water. Annie opened her eyes and saw that Abed's face was close to her's, looking over her carefully. He let out a sigh of relief when Annie looked at him. 

"We're on a ship," explained Abed quickly. "There's not much land around us, just small islands. Get up and we'll get you ready to help out."

Annie got up and followed Abed across the deck and through a cabin door. On the door was a full leangth mirror. Annie took a moment to admire the long red velvety dress she was wearing. She had a corset on underneith and her feet wore leather heeled boots. Her hair was longer than it usually was, and it was curly, tied in a half ponytail. Abed himself was also dressed for the sea. He wore tall boots and a long blue jacket with buttons all the way down. He stood across from Annie with a table in between them. On the table was a map, which he was currently looking down at. 

"This is where we are," said Abed, pointing at a slowly moving dot on the map. It was curious to Annie how the map could show them moving, but somehow, just like breathing underwater, she wasn't surprised. "This is where we are headed," said Abed sliding his finger across the map to a large island marked Greendale. 

Annie and Abed went outside again, leaning over the rails of the boat. The sunlight was warm on Annie's face. Next to her, Abed watched. He couldn't help but be facsinated by the simple pleasures that made Annie smile, and how lightly the sun touched her face, how gently the wind blew through her hair. Suddenly the boat lurched over a wave, and in his distraction, Abed fell off the side. Annie screamed as she dropped her telescope and grabbed Abed's hands. She pulled as hard as her slim form could, and Abed came back over the railing, lying on the ground. 

"You saved my life Annie," Abed whispered, taking Annie's hands into his. Annie couldn't help but blush, and she didn't bother try to hide it. Instead she leaned forward. Abed's eyes closed. Annie was so sure that she was about to kiss him. It was the moment that she dreamed of. She went for it.

"Oh hey guys!" Annie heard suddenly. She sat back up on her knees and Abed's eyes opened again. Looking down at them was Troy, also dressed for sea. 

"What's he doing here?" asked Annie. 

"He's part of the crew, of course," said Abed. There was an unmistakeable tone of disappointment, as if he didn't need a crew anymore. Annie blushed again. She would need to learn to control that. 

"There's a crew?" asked Annie looking around the boat. All of a sudden she could see everyone else. 

"There's Pierce, he's the cook," began Abed, pointing the crew out. "Shirley was meant to be the cook but she preferred to be a missionary. Britta is the lookout. Jeff is steering the boat.Troy is the second mate..."

"What's the second mate?" asked Annie.

"It's the first mate's first mate," explained Troy proudly. 

"Why isn't he just the first mate," asked Annie. "You're the captain after all." Abed raised an eyebrow.

"Don't make assumtions Annie," said Abed sternly. "I haven't introduced myself as the captain yet. I'm not the captain. I'm the first mate." Annie gasped. 

"Well who's the captain? The dean?" she cried looking around the boat. 

"You are," said Troy and Abed together. "That's why you have the telescope," added Abed, picking up the golden object that lay not far from him. He handed it back to her. Annie grasped it. It felt warm and familiar in her hands. 

"I am the captain?" Annie asked slowly. She couldn't believe it. 

"Come with me," was all Abed said. Annie followed him back in the cabin they had started in. Once there Abed began talking. "I want to tell you about the telescope," he said. 

"Okay," Annie said. She had been rather hopeful that he would have whisked her off to a private cabin and give her a big romantic kiss just like in the movies. Abed was normally so pop-culture oriented, meaning that he must be pretty serious about the telescope thing to not be so consistent. 

"The telescope is yours, and only yours," Abed explained. "If someone takes it from you by force they will be hurt. When you look through the telescope you can see anything you want to see."

"What do you mean 'anything'?" asked Annie. By the way Abed had described it it sounded like a fantasy telescope. 

"You think about someplace or someone that you want to see and you'll be able to see it through the telescope. Think of someone on this boat, for example."

"Okay," said Annie, holding the small telescope to her eyes. "Show me Troy." The black circle turned to colour. There she could see Troy leaning over the edge of the boat waving his arms. There was muffled shouting too, and Annie wondered how she could hear it through the telescope. Britta came into view at the edge of the circle. 

"What are you doing?" Annie could hear Britta saying. 

"The mermaids!" Troy was yelling. "There's got to be some!" Annie laughed as she put down the telescope. 

"He's looking for mermaids!" Annie explained to Abed through her chuckles. 

"I thought he might be," said Abed with a wink. "Now, we sail." 

Annie stood on the bow of the boat, now dawning a captain's hat that Abed had adorned her with. She held the wheel proudly, telescope snug in her belt. Suddenly a pair of hands touched her shoulders. 

"You're doing brilliantly," whispered the owner of the hands. It was Abed. 

"Oh hello there," said Annie smiling widely, the blood rising to her cheeks. 

"Anyway, keep up the good work," said Abed, patting her shoulders and turning away. "The map says we should be nearing Greendale soon." 

Annie sighed as she listened to Abed's footsteps softening, walking away. In a moment Abed had been both completely romantic and totally dismissive with her. How did he get away with it? Annie reminded herself that Abed wasn't so regular. He didn't always understand the social norms. This thought both comforted and worried Annie, to think that their almost-kiss was just a fluke. A reaction to being rescued. Annie sighed as she tugged on the steering wheel. 

Seeing as there were no waves or islands or rocks around the ship, Annie let go of the large wheel and pulled out her telescope instead. 

"Show me Abed," she whispered. The telescope flashed blurry colours before focussing on the man in the wooden cabin. Abed was looking intently down at the map. But then, as Annie looked more closely, she saw that what Abed was looking at wasn't the map, he was looking at what was on it. On the map was a picture of him, Troy, and Annie, the first day she had moved in with them. All of them were smiling with their arms around eachothers' shoulders. Annie could still remember when the picture was taken, how shy she had felt to have Abed throw his arm around her. Through the telescope, Annie could see that Abed's hand was on top of Troy, so the picture seemed to be just Abed and Annie with their arms over eachothers' shoulders. Maybe it hadn't been a fluke after all. 

Annie put down her telescope at the sound of Britta shouting. 

"Land ahead captain Annie!" she shouted down from her bird's nest. Annie looked ahead of her, and sure enough a large island could be seen in the distance. Abed emerged from his cabin, along with the rest of the crew, to see the island too. 

"That's definitely Greendale," said Abed, holding the map in front of him for everyone to see. "Are you ready to steer us in, Captain Annie?" asked Abed looking up at Annie. Annie grinned. 

"You bet!" she called down. Abed winked at her. 

The boat pulled itself slowly into the harbour with Annie's expertise. The crew dismounted. They breathed in the fresh air of Greendale Island, but their pleasure was interrupted suddenly by a crack of thunder above them. Everyone looked up in panic. Despite the thunder there was no sign of rain. There wasn't a cloud to be seen. So what had caused the horrific sound? Their question was answered when, out of the distant fog a short man came into view. 

"Chang!" cried Shirley. "What are you doing here?" 

"I want to be in the study group!" he screamed. 

"We've already told you, Chang," said Jeff. "You can't be in the group. You don't even have any classes with us this semester!" Chang didn't react right away, but then he slowly started to laugh. 

"You thought you could stop me!" he shouted proudly to the group. "You thought you had gotten rid of me yet here I am!" They all looked at eachother, confused. 

"Just because you're here doesn't put you in the group," remarked Jeff. 

"No," agreed Chang. "But I have successfully gathered you all here in one spot. You've brought with you exactly what I need to have full power and it's in her hands!" he cried, pointing at Annie. Everybody but Abed took a step back to see what she was holding. In her hands she tightly clutched the golden telescope that allowed her to see anything in the world. 

"What's so special about that?" asked Britta. "It's just a telescope." 

"It's a magic telescope you foolish mortals!" snapped Chang. "And with it I will find the power to rule the world. I won't need a stupid study group anymore, I'll have whatever I want." While the group often doubted Chang's sanity and his schemes normally seemed childish, somehow this one appeared to be well thought out and actually threatening. 

Pierce was the first to leave. As soon as Chang had finished with his cackling he turned around and walked back to the boat, telling his friends that if they needed him he would be sleeping and would not come for anything that didn't involve food. 

Shirley also left, claiming that she had heard her phone ring from the ship and it might be one of her children. 

Britta followed Shirley with a similar excuse. 

Jeff liked Annie, and so he decided to stay. It was now him, Troy, Abed, and Annie agaisnt Chang. The odds seemed to be in their favour because Chang was small and not terribly clever, but he surprised them by whistling a short tune and out through the trees came a small army of children dressed as ninjas. 

The battle began. It consisted mostly of Troy screaming as they all kicked the kids out of the way. Finally, the few that remained standing had retreated. It was just Chang with the four again. 

"Well you've defeated my children," said Chang angrily. "But that wasn't my only plan. I now demand to see Annie alone."

"What so you can just go up and grab the telescope?" shouted Jeff. "We're not leaving." Chang didn't look surprised or worried. He looked almost pleased. 

"What are you smiling at?" asked Troy. "What's so funny?" They all noticed it at once with Jeff first. The same sort of fog that Chang had emerged from was beginning to form around Jeff. 

"What are you doing to him?" cried Annie. It was Abed who answered. 

"Simple teleportation. The fog will bring them back to the ship," he explained. 

"Can't you stop it?" asked Annie, terrified. The fog had now completely gotten both Jeff and Troy. 

"I'm afraid not," replied Abed flatly. "This is how the story was meant to go." The fog was starting to form around him too. Annie grabbed his hand. 

"But I don't know what to do!" 

"Of course you do," said Abed. "You know where to find me anytime you want me, Annie. Just use your telescope. Just promise not to let Chang touch that." And with that said Annie felt the warmth of Abed's hand disappear as the fog envelopped him and sent him away. Annie turned back slowly to face Chang. 

"Okay, you have what you want. You have me alone. What now?" she demanded. 

"Give me the telescope," said Chang. 

"No."

"Give it to me now," he said. 

"I told you, no."

"Give. Me. That. Telescope!" shrieked Chang. 

"You'll have to fight me for it!" cried Annie, holding her hands up in an attempt to seem like a threat. 

"You scared off my army," said Chang. "I'm done with fighting."

"Then it looks like I'm all done here," said Annie. She turned away and began to skip towards the boat again when she noticed the fog. The fog was slowly rolling around the ship. The ship that contained all of her friends. 

"Now you see," sneered Chang. Annie's first instinct was just to drop the telescope and save the study group, but she had promised Abed that she wouldn't let Chang have it. Even though she didn't understand why it was so important, clearly Abed did, so Annie would have to respect that. 

"Where are you going to send them?" asked Annie.

"Oh I don't know," mused Chang. "I was thinking maybe something like the Bermuda Triangle. Middle of a volcano if I can manage it!" He cackled away. 

Annie desperately wanted Abed's company again. He would know what to do. He would understand the science behind it and know how to stop it. But here Annie was, alone on Greendale Island with Chang who threatened to send them all away where Annie would never see them again. Abed's voice came back to Annie's head. "You know where to find me anytime you want me," he had said. All she needed to do was use her telescope. Quickly Annie looked into it. 

"Show me Abed," she whispered. His face appeared in the circle. Annie could also see the other members of the crew and the fog that surrounded them. 

"Annie?" he called out. He seemed to be looking at her right through the telescope. "Annie I know what Chang is trying to do, and he just might succeed. Don't give him the telescope. Don't let him have it. Just don't worry about us. We'll be fine." Suddenly the small cirlce of colour went black. 

"Abandoned again," laughed Chang. 

"No I'm not!" yelled Annie. She refused to believe that Abed, who had taken her through so much to get the telescope and keep her happy would give up so easily. "I can bring them back!" The telescope grew hot in her hands. Annie looked down to see that it was glowing, as if in approval. Annie held the telescope back up to her eye. 

"Show me Shirley Bennett, Troy Barnes, Britta Perry, Jeff Winger, Pierce Hawthorne, and Abed Nadir!" she screamed into it. "If I concentrate hard enough I think I can bring them here with the telescope."

"Yeah whatever," said Chang, doubtful. Despite Chang's tone Annie did not give up. She closed her eyes tightly shut, focusing on the image of her friends back on the beach. 

Annie's head started hurting, but the pictures in her head were still there and she wouldn't let them go. She could feel herself growing weaker. If it didn't work Chang would beat her easily. Annie fell to her knees, and then to her side. Everything was black. 

Annie awoke in a green room with orange squares painted on the wall. Her vision was blurry, but she could see a face above her's. As she straightened out her eyes she could see that it was Abed. 

"Where's the boat?" asked Annie shakily. 

"We're back, Annie," said Abed. "Everything is safe." Annie looked down. In her hands she was clutching a paper towel roll to the point that it was squished and creased in the middle. 

Abed took Annie's hand and helped her up. 

"That was the best trip to the dreamatorium I've ever had," said Abed. "So thanks." There was some silence between the pair for a moment, and then Abed leaned in, kissing Annie on the mouth.


End file.
